Heart Bones

Is Beyah a character you root for? Why or why not? What traits and actions make Beyah sympathetic, and which ones make her harder to support?

How are the differences in social class and the realities of life in poverty reflected through the characters of Sara and Beyah?

Beyah expresses the sincere belief that she alone is responsible for her successes in life: avoiding drugs and alcohol, refusing the advances of her mother’s boyfriends, earning a full scholarship to Penn State. Why is this belief important to her, and how does it change throughout the narrative?

For the majority of the narrative, Beyah resists anyone giving her a hug, yet she is starved for genuine affection. What does the narrative say about why someone so in need of love might spurn tenderness from others?

Physical violence is a threat or reality throughout the novel. At one point Samson tells Beyah that, since he met her, he has been hit in the face by two men and slapped by one girl. What is the role of violence in the novel? How does it impact the characters and their choices?

Compare Beyah’s relationship to Brian with Samson’s relationship to Rake. What mistakes did each father make, and how did those mistakes impact the lives of their children?

What does this novel say about social class and financial instability? How do these realities impact the characters, and in what ways are they defined by and/or able to transcend their class?

Both Dakota and Samson are unsafe or unstable in various ways, while also fulfilling some of Beyah’s needs. Compare and contrast these two characters, their purpose in the story, and the impact they have on Beyah.